Nigel P As found footage films go, this begins with one of the most persuasive scene settings I've seen for some time. Whilst testing his camera equipment, Jake (Josh Stewart, who also wrote and directed) is enjoying a laugh with his tiny children, who in turn are screaming with delight at the images on the camera. They don't know they're part of a horror film, they're just having fun; as an audience member, I'm instantly thinking that surely such an appealing family unit isn't going to be wrecked by anything 'orrible.With little further build-up, Jake and Stevie (Ronnie Gene Blevins), are deep in the forests of West Virginia. They meet the quietly threatening Tony (Skipp Sudduth) who lives in the forest, and his daughter Jessie (Jessi Blue Gormezano). As the two friends hunting monsters, not a huge amount happens. This is a slow burner, despite wasting no time in setting up the premise. But if you're happy with that - and I am - this is worth your time.The acting is very naturalistic. You really believe these two are good friends. So when their footage appears to be tampered with, and the Blair-Witchy-woodlands behave strangely, it is effective. Most potent, however, is the child-like screaming of whatever is 'out there'.Whilst the ending is disappointing, I enjoyed this for the most part. It is strange to once more glance at reviews and see the marks given for 'Dark Forest' 10 out of 10 and plenty of praise, or 1 out of 10 for the obligatory 'worst film I have ever seen' nonsense. The truth as I see it, is about halfway between the two.

amesmonde Plugging Bow Tech a presenter and camera man go to the wilderness to film a hunting documentary about a famous buck called 'Movie Star' but encounter the local legend. Not to be confused with The Hunted (2003) what starts out as a hunting documentary turns into a paranormal investigation horror. Off the bat and clear from the outset is that actor Josh Stewart (who also wrote and directs) is outstanding as hunting documentary maker Jake. Although some may be put off by the pro-hunting angle (although morally it could be seen as a cautionary tale about why you shouldn't hunt), this aside, it's one of the better found footage films out there and best viewed in the dead of night with the volume up high. The direction by Stewart is spot on and you get a good idea of the logistics and surrounding area of the setting. The camera work is crisp in keeping with the low budget but quality shoot of the pilot episode that they are filming. The images are not blurred or have too much out of focus shaky cam work, this works different to other features of the same genre, in as much as everything Slough dark at times is clear, but nothing is given away. Thankfully there's no collage kids, Stewart's script is very believable as it is more about the documentary about the buck rather than the encounters. The hunting lodge supporting cast lend credence to the film.There's added music which is reminiscent of the ghost hunting type programmes that have sprouted up over the years, which suggests their footage has been edited for broadcast. This debatably maybe an error but it can be left at the door. As well as the night on location shoot, there's creepy photos and sounds but it's the actors which sell this spin on the usual Blair Witch template along with the sound design, footstep, wails and shrieks of a disembodied woman voice which is much of the backbone hook throughout. What it lacks in visual representation of the antagonist it makes up for with Josh's excellent convincing performance as they come to terms that something isn't right in woods, stream and surrounding area.The Hunted is one of the better examples of how a tired sub-genre still has some life in it.

David Arnold The Hunted is another addition to the "lost footage found" genre but unfortunately it's not one of the better ones, and while Josh Stewart's directorial debut isn't THAT bad, it just falls short of the mark of being an entertaining film.The film has a decent, yet simple, story to it. Jake (Stewart) and his cameraman friend & colleague, Stevie, are out in the woods for three days & nights filming for their new deer hunting TV show, and on the 1st night they both hear a noise that sounds eerily like a woman's scream. Brushing it off as a bobcats yowl, they go back to filming, but by the 3rd and final night, things have intensified.Like I said, it's a simple story really, but the majority of these types of films do have simple story's. What tends to carry them along is the way that the story is told, and that's where The Hunted falls short unfortunately because for the majority of the movie, it's actually pretty slow & boring and doesn't pick up until the last 20 minutes or so which is a pity because if the previous hour was as decent as the end then it would have been a much better film.The cast members do an OK job with what they have to work with and while Stewart was excellent in The Collector, here he just seems a bit, I don't know, subdued maybe possibly due to a limited script.One thing I will say about the movie is that the screams you hear in it are creepy as hell. Some people may find the screaming annoying or rather ridiculous, but the way the screams come across, especially when they come nearer to where Jake & Stevie are camping, is very eerie. I just wish Stewart had managed to script in something else to capitalise on the screams to take it to the next level.Altogether, The Hunted isn't that bad of a movie to watch, as I said earlier, especially with it being a low-budget production. Just wish that there was a bit more to it.

SmartGun ....should have been the title.*SPOILERS*I cannot put into words how bad this found-footage nonsense really is. I've seen some good ones in my time (Paranormal Activity, V/H/S 2, REC, and the Grave Encounters movies spring to mind) and I'm open to all horror movies as a life long fan...but my word: THIS IS THE WORST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN.Zero shock factor, zero interesting footage, zero believable characters that made Blair Witch kick-start this whole fiasco, and to top it off as the title says, the hysterical factor is that that after well over an hour you literally realise you're watching two men run from the sound of an impressive orgasm. Maybe that doesn't sound like I'm dating normal people, and I'm fine with that. I'm more concerned that I had the patience to watch this garbage to the end.I'd love nothing more than to tell you why its so bad in a critical manner, but I only have one lifetime. Full credit to the "Movie Star" Deer Buck in it though, he stole the show...along with the trumpet player that informed us so hysterically when something he thought happened never did.Horror fans = Avoid.